Letters to the Editor about Jeff Jacoby's Web exclusive columnPage 5 of 13 -- Jamison MacLachlan
Anti-American? It's downright patriotic to question our government's actions; to criticize failing policies; to express our unique right in the world of truly free speech. That's what being American is all about: having and protecting the right to speak out for change and progress. It's not about seeking to squelch opposition or condemn someone's concern about personal liberties, especially by lobbing personal assaults and sticking your head in the sand during a controversial war. Mr. Jacoby, there's a reason the media didn't care about Ted Kennedy's "slander." It wasn't. It didn't even have substance, just criticism. Let's stop wasting good paper on whining and focus on some sound policy suggestions or courses of action.
Jason Schrieber Somerville
It is difficult to understand why the Globe continues to employ Jeff Jacoby. If it is to counter the attacks of the right that the Globe is left leaning (all evidence to the contrary - it is generally quite balanced), you should employ a more educated and reasonable conservative. The NY Times manages to find conservative columnists who at least sound like they have read someone else's opinion. Jacoby consistently produces radical, ill-reasoned and ignorant sounding columns. Or is that the point? He's a joke and it is not really fair to the conservative point of view to have him as a representative. I expected to see his picture frothing at the mouth after reading today's diatribe. Jane Pioli
Please give Joe Jacoby a raise for his editorial today, May 25th, 2004. Ted Kennedy's disgracefull comments should be soundly condemned for the political trash they are. Frank Hare
Jacoby can spare us the phony outrage over Sen. Kennedy's remarks. The Abu Ghraib prison scandal is the natural result of a morally bankrupt war propagated by a morally bankrupt administration -- and more Americans are coming to recognize it every day, despite the best efforts of Jacoby and others to conflate blind acquiescence with patriotism. First the administration and its apologists tried to blame a few soldiers for the abuse; now Jacoby is trying to shift attention to Sen. Kennedy, who, like many Americans, knows just how disastrous this abuse is for the U.S., and how imperative it is that we get to the root of its causes. Unless Jacoby and his ilk have their way, the American public will soon learn that the abuses at Abu Ghraib were not isolated, were not the work of "a few bad apples", and, unfortunately, may even have been Bush administration policy. And as they learn that, Americans will rightfully assume their role as final judge and jury of this administration's decisions and actions. Whether Jeff Jacoby likes it or not. Facing unpleasant realities is the responsibility of the self-governed. Jacoby can huff and puff, but he can't change that. Americans must learn the truth -- and they owe a debt of gratitude to Sen. Kennedy for speaking it. Continued... |
